


You're a Good Man, Adam Rodriguez

by jojosiewa



Series: MCYT Short Stories [4]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Newscapepro Minecraft Fallout Series
Genre: DADS??????????, Fallout, Family, Found Family, M/M, Nuclear Fallout
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 20:04:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17731754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jojosiewa/pseuds/jojosiewa
Summary: Adam, in the midst of being a stupid idiot, sees a figure in the snow.





	You're a Good Man, Adam Rodriguez

**Author's Note:**

> There are some pretty wild headcanons i have that are pretty important so:  
> -sky and adam both lived before nuclear fallout happened and they briefly met during a one-night stand  
> -sky had a wife and kids before nuclear fallout  
> -sky and adam dont really age, theyre half-immortal bc of radiation  
> -sky is nicks DAD, after nicks mom died sky freaked and left nick at some doorstep. this was previously revealed before this piece of writing so everyone already knows

Adam was painfully aware of time. They'd been in the green place for 10 months and 16 days. It was snowing outside and Adam predicted it was sometime around January, though his memory was fuzzy. Everyone had lost track of months and seasons a long time ago in the wasteland, but in the green place Adam noticed a revert to the way things were before, spring, summer, fall, winter, repeat. The wasteland varied by region and followed no rules whatsoever.

As Adam was counting their stock of food for the winter, he heard laughter coming from outside. Uni, Nick, and Cory were playing in the snow, finally able to he young again after years of forced maturity. It made Adam happy, thinking of them throwing snowballs and letting their guards down and for once not being afraid of someone shooting them down in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. It took a lot to shake that mindset of survival, fight or flight, nonsense equals death, and Adam was proud of his boys.

"Why aren't you out there too?" Adam jumped at the sound of Dawn's voice. He hesitated and looked back to the food.

"I have work to do, I got a family to provide for, y'know?"

"It doesn't all have to fall on your shoulders. We're a team."

Adam gripped the clipboard he was holding, shaking his head. "They're young. I want them to have fun, be carefree."

"Everyone knows what you're doing, Adam," Dawn said. "Go outside, I'll count the food."

"I think I'll make one more trip out. One more. Just in case we need more supplies before we get snowed in and we're screwed," Adam stood up and set the clipboard down on the bench he was sitting on. As he walked towards the stairs, he heard Dawn sigh.

Adam's mind was set as he jogged upstairs to get his winter clothes on.

===

Adam cursed as he squinted ahead, the snowfall having intensified. He was lucky he left when he did; he could still make out the way back to the house, just barely. A combination of muscle memory, sharp eyesight, and survivalist instinct would get him back in no time. His backpack was filled with more canned food and some mushroom stew for Nick and Susan.

The snow crushed under his feet and god how did he forget the snowshoes? He hadn't expected the snow to build up this quickly.

A clock ticked in his head and he wondered if the others were worried about him. He'd been gone a good few hours.

And then he heard snow crunch again, but unsynchronized with his steps, and he froze.

No way someone else found the good place, he thought. No way.

He glanced around and hid behind a tree, listening to the footsteps. His heart beat fast in his chest and he slowly and silently handled his shotgun.

He peered around the tree, and he saw a figure in the distance, half-concealed by the snowfall. The clock in his head ticked furiously, reminding him he needed to get home, and fast. He watched the figure stop, and lean against a tree, almost as if they were injured or weak. And he could've sworn he saw a ponytail whipping in the wind and the clock he was hearing was the one that sat by his bed, the one Sky had given him.

He shook it off and made his way home.

Couldn't be.

===

"Adam, we were worried sick!" Cory exclaimed as Adam opened the door and dusted the snow off his thick jacket. "Sorry, sorry, I just thought some more food wouldn't hurt," Adam grunted as he unzipped the jacket and hung it up. Cory frowned. "Adam, I think we should talk."

Adam took off the next jacket and made his way upstairs. "Why? I came home, I wasn't worried. Well, actually–"

"Adam."

Adam stopped and turned around to face Cory, staring him down with a hostile look he didn't know he was giving.

"I saw someone out there on the way back. I'm going to keep watch, after I make myself some hot chocolate. I need to borrow your Remington," Adam said firmly, his face set.

Cory's expression changed. Adam saw that unneeded maturity coming back, and it hurt his heart. "You saw someone? Wait, Adam, you saw someone here? In the green place?"

"Cory, don't worry about it, I got it, I'll keep watch–"

"Let me do it, you were just out there, you need to warm up first–"

"I got it, you just relax, make out with you boyfriend or something," Adam reassured. "Can I borrow your Remington."

Cory sighed and nodded, defeated. "Yeah."

Adam put a hand on Cory's shoulder and pulled him into a hug. "I gotcha. I'll take care of you guys as long as I live, you got that?"

Cory hugged back. "I got that. But Adam, I can help. Remember that too."

Adam nodded and let Cory go get his gun.

===

Adam was starting to shake in his chair by nightfall. But he gripped the Remington tight and kept his eyes peeled for any figure oddly resembling Sky but definitely not Sky because Sky was dead. That's what Cory said.

"Adam, hey." The door opened, and Nick stepped out, shivering in his light coat.

"Jesus, go back in, Nick," Adam said, standing up.

"I'll only be out a second," Nick cleared his throat. "Being serious is hard for me and I don't think I can cover this one up with jokes, so listen up, I don't want to repeat this."

Adam tilted his head to the side.

"Cory is really... really worried about you. But I think you're scaring him a little so he's afraid to talk to you and I'm going to be the good boyfriend here for once and tell you myself. You need to make time for you. You can't do everything for us."

"Nick, you too? Jesus, I'm okay, I'm just helping out–"

"Christ, Adam, you're my best friend, would you let me talk!" Nick stomped his foot. Adam shut his mouth. "You were talking to us earlier about how the wasteland forced young people like me to be mature and how you were glad we could be stupid kids again. But that forced maturity is a lot more deep rooted for you, isn't it?"

Adam looked away. "I don't want to–"

"We aren't the Rodriguez family, Adam. We're... squad goals. Shit. Fuck. I can't do this." Nick pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a loud, annoyed sigh. "You don't have to provide for your family alone like you did before, is what I'm trying to say. I'm sorry you had to work three jobs and I'm sorry you had to deal with them being ungrateful for all your hard work so you felt like you had to work even harder for them to be impressed but that's not how things are now!"

Adam sniffled and shook his head. "That's not what I'm doing."

"Yes it is. We all see it. Your idea of family is skewed. We all help each other equally here," Nick said, holding Adam's bandaged hand. "Come inside. We'll take turns."

"Nick..." Adam trailed off, feeling the tears coming to his eyes. He forced them back; he didn't want anyone to see him cry.

"Let's–"

The familiar roar of a death claw shook them both to their cores. Adam let go of Nick's hand almost immediately to grip the gun again.

"Susan found someone," Nick mumbled. "Oh god, you were right, someone found the fucking green place."

Cory and Uni came out soon after. "The fuck was that!"

Adam was already running towards the noise, ignoring the others shouting at him to wait. Susan's cave wasn't far from the house and as Adam came upon it he saw someone flat on their back, looking up at the death claw standing over them, gun shaking in their hands.

"Susan, good girl!" Adam shouted, and he ran up to the figure, slowing down once he felt an odd cracking sound under his feet. He looked down and saw a now-broken pair of sunglasses. His breath seized.

"Sky," he said, looking at the trembling man. Sky Cielo looked back, those radiated glowing yellow eyes wide with terror. "Adam," he breathed.

Adam ran up to him and fell to his knees. "Holy shit, Sky you're alive!"

"Barely," Sky grunted, still unmoving.

"Oh, don't worry about Susan. She's a pacifist. Mostly," Adam held out a hand, still in shock. Sky grabbed it and Adam helped him up. Sky leaned on Adam, half hugging him, and watched Susan warily.

Adam's face was warm, but he shook it off. "Sky. You're alive."

"Yeah. Yeah I am." Sky was shaking in Adam's arms and he hugged the ghoul tighter, for warmth. For warmth, yeah, that was definitely the only reason. Adam hugged back, rubbing Sky's back to warm him up. "Okay Sky, you're okay, let's get inside, huh?"

"ADAM!"

Adam broke the hug and saw Uni sprinting up to him. "Uni, hey, it's okay, it's–"

"Uni, right, that's your name. I uh, I brought something for you," Sky shakily brought his backpack to his front and dug through it until he brought out a bag of bone shaped biscuits. "Found them while looting, hope they're not too stale."

He took one out of the bag and held it out. Uni hesitated, looking up at Sky with wary eyes.

He slowly took the treat and ate it. His tail started to wag. "These are so good! More more!"

Sky shook his head a little. "Wait... I can, understand you."

"You can?" Uni sat up straight, tail still wagging. Adam smiled, and put a hand on Sky's back to steady him. "You're weak, Sky. Careful."

"The dog really talks," Sky's eyes were wide. "The dog really fucking talks huh!"

He kneeled by Uni and held out his hand. Uni sniffed at it, and then Sky started to pet him. "I haven't pet a dog in a while, they never let me!"

"Guys!"

Cory and Nick ran up next, both freezing and looking down at Sky, who was providing Uni with the best belly rubs.

"What the fuck."

Sky looked up and stood immediately. "Nick, camera face– Cory."

Cory's mouth dropped open. "Ross said you were dead."

"The fucker missed," Sky scoffed. "Well, kinda. I can't use my right arm very well, thank god I'm a leftie."

Cory smiled and looked at Nick. The smile faded when Cory saw Nick's plain face. "Nick, it's Sky," Cory said, rubbing his boyfriend's back. "You okay?"

"Nick, I'm sorry, I know I haven't really been a good dad," Sky said. "I really missed you, if that counts for anything. I came looking for you."

Nick stepped back. "I... need to go inside."

"Good idea," Adam nodded, wrapping an arm around Sky. "Let's go."

Nick turned around and started walking back towards the house. Sky looked down, ashamed. Adam held him closer.

===

"You kept my clock," Sky smiled and sat on Adam's bed, still shaking slightly. He watched the clock tick, almost entranced by it. "Look at it go!"

Adam laughed and nodded. "Now whenever I think of time I think of you," he joke-flirted.

"I'm flattered," Sky joke-flirted back.

"Sorry about your sunglasses," Adam said as he dug through his drawers to look for clothes that would fit Sky. "And I hope my clothes fit fine, we have similar builds."

"I'll be fine. It's not too bright in here."

"Oh, I have some shades I stole from a tunnel snake, I'm pretty sure," Adam set an outfit on his bed and kneeled down, pulling a box out from under it. Sure enough, inside the box were some sunglasses, mixed with the other assorted junk he had.

He looked up to hand them to Sky, and he jumped. The other Mexican male had taken his shirt off.

"Uhh, here," Adam handed the sunglasses over while averting his eyes.

"Oh come on, don't be like that," Sky laughed. "We had a one night stand over two hundred years ago and you're making it awkward? Thanks for the shades, too."

Adam sighed and sat on the bed, looking back at Sky.

"You got all kinds of scars too, huh?" Adam noted. Sky pointed to one on his right shoulder; it looked recent. "Yeah. This one here from Ross. Shot me in the shoulder, not the heart, but I bled out so fast and it hurt so bad I was pretty sure I was gonna die anyway. But then... see there was this dude I met, he runs a train, Casey Jones. Fish lookin dude. Turns out he's like us, he was alive when the bombs dropped. He was a doctor! Happened to be in the area, saw me, saved my ass! Told me I needed physical therapy. So I've been trying to work it out in these ten months. It's still iffy," he held his shoulder and lifted his right arm. It was shaky and weak.

"It was weird, all of it, because... Ross doesn't miss."

It was quiet, for a short while.

"Jesus, I'm sorry," Adam whistled. Sky smiled and put Adam's shirt on. "No te preocupes," he said in decent Spanish. "Been working on learning better Spanish, too. Figured I should learn my own language."

"I still can't believe you never really learned it growing up."

"My parents Americanized me, man. Wanted me to fit in, be like all the white kids. It was sad, but, I'm making up for it now." Sky looked at Adam for a little while, lifting his sunglasses and resting them on the top of his head.

"I thought your eyes were light-sensitive."

"You told me a while ago that I was hard to read with my glasses on. So I figured I'd be honest contigo," Sky winked, and Adam blushed. "Thanks... but I don't want you to hurt yourself." He pushed the sunglasses back down over Sky's eyes and brushed some hair out of his face.

"I wanted to talk to you about something, Adam," Sky whispered. "Pienso que es muy importante."

"Talk to your son first," Adam pressed. "He's more important. I can wait."

Adam stood up and walked out, closing the door slowly behind him. He made his way downstairs and was faced with everybody looking at him expectantly.

"He's fine," Adam said, and Cory let out a sigh of relief. Nick relaxed a little despite trying to hide it.

"He has more treats, can I go in there?" Uni asked, and Adam laughed. "Oh Uni. I think Nick needs to talk to him first."

Nick jumped and covered his mouth, his eyes troubled. Cory nodded and gave Nick a half hug. "Go, babe."

Nick and Cory looked at each other, and Nick nodded. "Okay. Okay I will. But first thing's first," the two looked at Adam.

"YOU sit the FUCK down."

Cory forced Adam down onto the couch, Nick wrapped him in a blanket, and Uni sat on his lap. "Guys," Adam scoffed, confused. Cory got a mug of hot chocolate from Dawn and held it out. "You take this, we will take care of everything else," Cory demanded. "And if you get up from this spot at all tonight except to fucking piss I'll shoot both your legs so you can't get up at all."

"Wow I love my family," Adam said. He took the hot chocolate, mostly because he felt like he had no other choice.

"Okay. Now, Nick, you go up and tell your father how you feel about what he's done!" Cory exclaimed, and Nick nodded. "Yeah!"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!" Nick took one step, and then turned around. "No!"

Cory put his hands on Nick's shoulders. "How about I go with you. For support. I can stand outside."

"Or come in?"

"Or come in," Cory smiled. "Is that okay?"

Nick nodded, and Cory dragged him up the stairs. "Don't get off that couch Adam!"

Adam whined and watched the two disappear upstairs. He sat back and took a sip of his hot chocolate, trying to relax.

"They can handle themselves. They can handle themselves." Adam bounced his knee. "They can handle themselves."

He sat there with Uni for a while, squirming and sighing and tapping his fingers on the arm of the couch and clicking his tongue and craning his neck to try to listen to the faint talking coming from upstairs and failing to do so.

He jolted when he started to year yelling on Nick's side. "Oh god," he started to get up, but Uni growled, and he froze.

"Dawn," Adam pleaded. "Help."

"Cory's there to mediate," the robot pressed.

Adam bounced his knee more intensely as the yelling turned to crying and the crying turned to silence.

Cory came down first.

"What the fuck just happened, is everything okay?" Adam leaned forward, and Cory sat down. "They're hugging it out."

Adam leaned back, shocked. "Really? I heard yelling."

"Yeah things got pretty heated. But it's okay."

"But I–"

"I said it's okay," Cory repeated. "You always mediate all of Nick and I's arguments, and I appreciate that, and so I wanted to let you sit out. You don't need to fix all our problems."

"It's all solved... without me. You kids took care of it all on your own," Adam mumbled.

"See? You don't need to do all the heavy lifting, you can kick back," Cory put his feet up on the coffee table. Adam scratched Uni's head. "I still can't believe I missed it."

"You can give Nick a hug later."

Adam patted Uni's back and whistled.

"What's on your mind? About you?"

Adam shrugged. "I don't know."

"Come on, where's the Adam who complains about his problems and talks about his past twenty four seven?" Cory nudged Adam. The Latino laughed and held up his hands. "Okay okay fine. Get this."

Cory leaned in. Uni's ears perked up.

"I think, I think I'm starting to have a little crush on Sky. Maybe a little. Just–" Adam froze and watched the grin spread on Cory's face. And then he realized the incredibly grave mistake he just made.

At that moment, Nick and Sky came down the stairs. Sky was still weak from the cold, and Nick was helping him down. Cory stood up and motioned for Uni to get down. He did, and Cory took the blanket off Adam.

"Wow thanks?" Adam held out his arms.

"This is for Sky, not you."

"Fair."

Sky sat next to Adam and bundled up in a lot of blankets that were graciously given to him by the group. He was leaning on Adam just slightly.

"Uni, I come bearing more gifts," Sky took out the treats and Uni immediately jumped into his lap. "You keep this up and I'll denounce Cory as my best friend and pick you instead."

"Hey!"

"You don't get me treats, Cory!"

Sky laughed and gave Uni another treat.

Adam watched Sky, ponytail now undone, pet Uni and laugh at Cory's stupid jokes and smile at Nick and have tasteful conversations with Dawn and in the moments when Sky looked back at Adam there was something there, a spark between them. Adam didn't dare deny it but god was he afraid of it.

God fucking dammit, Sky liked him too.

===

"I'll sleep on the couch, you go ahead and sleep here," Adam motioned to his bed, which he had actually made for once in his goddamn life. Sky put his hand over his chest. "I can't do that, let me take the couch."

"No, no it's fine, I, I sleep down there on occasion anyway, I feel less enclosed," Adam reassured. Sky frowned, but shrugged it off. "If you're sure," he mumbled uncertainly.

Adam clapped once and rubbed his hands together. "Well uh, see you on the flip side, scream if you need anything," he clicked his tongue and gave an awkward finger gun. "I'm just gonna–"

"Wait," Sky grabbed Adam's hand and Adam quickly let go. "Don't do that," he snapped suddenly.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit a nerve or anything I'm so sorry," Sky covered his mouth, and Adam turned around. "It's, it's alright. I just, I don't like being caught off guard, it, it's a whole thing," he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, uh, what is it?"

Sky took a deep breath. "Well, see, ever since you gave me that talk back with the whole Enclave thing, convinced me to stop bounty hunting, I uh, got thinking about something else."

Adam nodded.

"I came here for Nick, of course, but, I was thinking about you too," Sky looked at his hands and scoffed. "I couldn't stop thinking about you."

Sky took off his sunglasses and looked Adam right in the eyes. "You make me feel something I haven't felt in a very long time, Adam Rodriguez, and I can't ignore that."

"I can't either," Adam mumbled.

"So?" Sky shrugged. "Would you like to... date?"

Adam didn't answer right away. He took a few steps back. "I-I don't, I don't know, can I just, I need to, I gotta, go," he opened the door and stumbled out of the room, immediately facing Cory and Uni.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Cory said quickly.

Adam rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you did." He pushed past the two, walked down the stairs, and sat on the couch. The urge to run away was so strong, but there was nowhere to run to.

Uni jumped up and sat next to Adam.

"I know I'm a dog and not the expert on love and all, but, usually when someone likes you back you're happy about it," the dog lectured, giving Adam a look.

"I know. I like him a lot, I think I did ever since he first wised up. But, I'm just not meant for a relationship, Un," Adam sighed, petting Uni softly. Uni whined and pressed his nose to Adam's shoulder. "Why not?"

Adam couldn't hold back the tears this time. He let out a shaky laugh and tried to hide his face. "I'm afraid, I guess."

God, he didn't know why Uni was such a good dog to talk to. He supposed animals always were good beings to vent to.

"Is it because of Tommy Valentine? The one you said you loved?"

Adam nodded and covered his mouth, letting out a sob. "Oh god. You're right, it is."

Uni snuggled up against Adam, and Adam wrapped an arm around him. "I-I think I'm afraid of, of losing someone again. I lost him, I lost Tommy Valentine, I decided not to go out with him that night and he got roofied and killed and god it hurt me for so long and I don't want to feel that again."

Uni looked up at Adam. "We're in the green place now, Adam, you don't have to worry."

"I'm gonna mess up, I'm gonna get him killed."

"No you're not! Adam, history doesn't always repeat itself! It was a terrible thing that happened to Tommy Valentine, but who says that's going to happen again! Sky's a, a tough guy! And he really likes you and I think you should date him because then he'll stay forever and I can get more good pets and treats!" Uni barked, and Adam laughed. "Oh Uni... maybe you're right. You're a good dog."

"Damn right I am! Now go get him! Go go go!" Uni tried to push Adam up.

"Okay, okay!" Adam got up, gave Uni a noogie, and made his way back up the stairs. He opened the door to his room, and saw Cory with his arm around Sky, talking softly.

"He's just gotta– Adam, hey," Cory stood, and Adam pointed over his shoulder at the door. "Out, camera face."

"Yeah," Cory sidestepped around Adam and left the room.

Adam and Sky looked at each other for a little while.

"Sorry. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Sky held up a hand. "I get it. It's hard to imagine... dating, in a world like this."

"It's hard to imagine dating at all anymore," Adam admitted. "I uh, I've always been afraid of losing people close to me, it's a whole..." he waved his hands. "Thing."

"Me too, Adam, are you kidding!" Sky scoffed. "I had a wife and kids, then, the bombs... then Meena and Nick, then she was shot, then I fucked up and left Nick on some stranger's doorstep. But I'm, I'm trying to be better, I'm trying to appreciate what I have and not think about what COULD happen. And it's hard to stop thinking about what ifs, I know."

Adam held out his hands and Sky softly held them. Adam pulled Sky up. "I'm a little rusty on the dating end, but, I mean, I could, try."

Sky smirked.

"Don't smirk at me all clever like that, I'm the top here."

Sky giggled as Adam wrapped his arms around the ex-bounty hunter's waist. "Sorry I was being all stupid."

"It's okay, Adam. You make up for it by being so cute. Estás muy guapo."

"Ey, claro que sí. Pero," Adam leaned in. "It would be eres, not estás, because–"

They kissed, and sure, Adam had kissed many men before, but this was the first time in a very, very long time where it felt like it would be more than a one night stand.

Adam Rodriguez finally had a goddamn boyfriend.


End file.
